The Washington critic., 1887-01-11
AT THE THEATRES.
ALnArcn,.-NMrnny wIyr.. :,


1t is said that Queen Elizabeth was so
much pleused with falsta1's valiant charac-
ter as q soldier that she commanded shaks-
pearo to show her the tender side Of the
old hero, and write him upas lover and in
obedience to this command the "Merry
Wives Of Windsor grew into the worlds
dramatic literature. be that US It may, We
hope, for the delicacy of her sex, that when
she first read Orsaw the "Alerry Wives her
modesty was shocked, and that she chose
some other mode of incuiCatiDg the moral
that wives may he merry and yet be honest.
Aflistically considered, the merry Wives,
us presented last night to Il fair audience 10y
Messrs. Robson aud Crane Is us nearly
perfect as II has been known TO the modern
stage. and MIR Crane as FdistiD may I've ac-
cepted as the third Of the Falstalllau trinity.
Of which the other two are iiaCtet ani De
Bar, while Mr.. RubsoE's SieHiel, although
not Of frequent occurrence, Is quite the
character one would suppose Shakespeare
had in mind. Miss Fctter aud Miss Wal
dron wcIe merry wives, indeed. Miss
Brown was. In suoth, Sweet Aune PHge'
and Mrs DiclilnsOh's Domc QHRig was
given to the life. OF the entire cast, with
Two exceptions, much may be said In praise,
even To the most subordinate. The cos
tunes and scenery are all new, and, what is
quite frequently unusual, were thoroughly
ia keeping with the time aud circumstances
Of the play and those who lived It. What
Robson and Crane have done for the MERRY
Wives Is all praiscNOrthy, in the art sense,
but what ShaE speare did for II, In moral
sense, is such that II should he laid away
with ihoCe art treasures which have been
eXhumCd from the secret chambers Of
POmptiian palaces.
TIE NATtoNAL--''FRA pIAvoLo.n
The Boston ideals, with de Lussan, La.
blachc, Barnabce, Kari, Lawton, Morawski,
Clark and Miron, at the National last night
drew a good house and rendered the opera
as only such a cast could do II. Tue audi
tnce was with the players, and what they
did was received with cucoric enthusiasm.
Tonight martha will he the opera with
| Miss stone as LUtiy HUyici, and Mr.. Law
ton as LiUjc' in which role he Is at his
best.
the mIou-''THE WORLD"
Everybody wants the earth, they say, and
| 1t seemed that everybody wanted "The
World last night at the Bliou, for every
body was there, at least as far as the house
would hold, The play is of the spectacular
| order, with dramatic cord to move the
scenes with, and It is strongly interesting IN
| fllNAlAbNr dAi VIZ ialhAlt ffffI y
| EWigou aud Miss Willer's RDgu were very
| good, Us were the others IN the cast who
were not so prominent, but quite MS capable
in the parts assigned them. Again to
night.
KEINAN's NOVELTY COMPANY.
Williams aud Kerneli'' Novelty Company
drew rousing house OF Kernan's last
night and gave full satisfaction. With the
exception Of the concluding farce, which /:
not good. the entire list Of specialists and
their speCialties caught right on and made
everybody feel that he was getting more
than lie was paying for. The "hunar
corksorew,' the acrobatic feats, the trained
monkeys the songs, dances aud music and
the oiher attractions were such as could moi
hut please, and they dli please, even tC
uuprivu, rncG:ss. It's clean show aud q
| good one.
GmE nnT-"THC roY TRAWr."
Nine. Melville and her sou, Augustin, IL
"Thc Boy Tramp were gwen great
send OIL at the Dime last night on thel
second appearance at this house. The PLAY
is one that doesn't grow wearsonle, as wa
testified by the applause given last nigh
Nud the unvarying interest throughout
Youug Melville is n promising actor, ant
he gives an energy aud force to his par
that captures the audience on the start
Again tonight